DFA records over 10.8 million overseas Filipinos in 2024

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) estimates that there were more than 10.8 million Filipinos overseas from July to December 2024.

During the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations' hearing on Wednesday, the DFA said that there are currently 10,804,958 overseas Filipinos tallied.

Just over half of the total, or 5,416,536 overseas Filipinos, are in the Americas.

This is followed by the Asia and the Pacific region with 2,440,619 overseas Filipinos or 22.59% of the total; and the Middle East with 2,103,142 Filipinos or 19.46%.

The majority or 54.41% of overseas Filipinos are permanent migrants.

More than a third or 34.59% were documented or temporary migrants, while 11.01% were irregular or undocumented.

When it comes to countries, the US topped the list with most overseas Filipinos: 4,424,687.

Canada follows with 973,881 Filipinos, then Malaysia with 950,043 Filipinos.

The DFA also reported that there were 67 Philippine embassies worldwide, with 27 Consulates General and 4 Permanent Missions.

There are 31 Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) in Asia and the Pacific, 29 in Europe, 20 in the Middle East and Africa, and 18 in the Americas.

In the remaining months of 2025, DFA plans to open an embassy in Suva, Fiji, and consulates general at Busan in South Korea, Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, and Seattle in Washington, USA.

They also plan to open embassies at Accra in Ghana and Astana in Kazahstan, as well as a consulate general in Miami, Florida for 2026.

“It’s very important even in areas where there are very few Filipinos or small communities because of trade relations, economic relations, and to establish diplomatic ties especially in regions we are hardly present… I believe that there were lost opportunities [when we closed embassies in 2012], even for trade and commerce economically. I supported the reopening of embassies and consulates from 2015 onwards. I hope you will continue to do that,” said Senator Loren Legarda. — BM, GMA Integrated News